Bibeksheel Sajha Party leader Rabindra Mishra has said RPP will be in a big problem if it does not unify with his group.
In a video interview with Setopati, Mishra has stated that he and other monarchists in his group standing together with RPP now will make that force stronger and capable of intervening in Nepali politics. “RPP also can face a big crisis after the election if this (unification) is stuck due to petty issues. Anything can go a long way if the key of coalition is turned one way at one time and the other at another time for 30-35 years, and become the fifth largest party at one time and the seventh at other. If not, and if they want to make the party with this agenda (monarchist) they must take this seriously.”
He has revealed that he is likely to become joint chairman of RPP after unification pointing that keeping two chairmen after unification of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) to form CPN, multiple chairmen in RPP, and a chairman and a coordinator with equal powers in his party also did not work in the past.
He has added that he is ready to work under RPP Chairman Rajendra Lingden pointing that the latter has a political history of 30-40 years, is a person from indigenous ethnicity and has a good image. “Lingden then proposed a chairman and a joint chairman. That is natural as well. And acceptable for my friends as well,” he has stated.
He has revealed that there seem to be some problems in RPP about the unification but he is not aware about the exact details of the problems. But he stressed that RPP itself will face crisis if the unification does not happen.
He has also acknowledged that he sought help from CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli when he met Oli at the latter’s residence in Balkot a few days back.
Mishra, who narrowly lost by less than 1,000 votes to Prakash Man Singh of Nepali Congress (NC) from Kathmandu-1 five years back, is expected to again contest from the same constituency this time but he was equivocal on the issue and only confirmed that he will contest the federal election without specifying the constituency.
He has revealed that Oli did not explicitly give words to help him in the forthcoming election but added that he feels Oli will help him in the election.
Talking about monarchy, he has reiterated that Gyanendra will be the new king if Nepal were to again become a kingdom as long as Gyanendra is alive. He has added that Gyanendra’s grandson (son of Paras) Hridayendra will be the king if Gyanendra is no longer there, or Hridayendra’s elder sister Poornika may be the monarch if even a daughter is made heir to the throne. “The House will decide or the institute of monarchy can be given the responsibility of deciding about that if monarchy is restored.”
